Levi’s Stadium achieved LEED certification for its practical and sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Measures include the installation of 1,162 photovoltaic panels around the stadium, three NRG Energy Bridges for ticket holders to enter the venue, and a 27,000-square foot NRG Solar Terrace on the west-side suite tower. The Bermuda Bandera grass playing field consumes 50 percent less water than other fields, and 85% of the water used throughout the stadium is recycled. These features allow the venue to achieve net zero energy performance, and the 10 scheduled 49ers home games per season will be completely powered by the site’s year-round collection of solar energy.

LEED Gold status is achieved by accumulating 39 to 51 points on the rating system, and the stadium received 41 points by opening day on July 17, 2014. San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement, “The Bay Area is a world leader in sustainable efforts, and achieving LEED Gold certification for Levi’s Stadium is another example of our desire to showcase all that is special about the region. Our design team, partners and contractors have helped Levi’s Stadium become the environmentally responsible building we had envisioned.”

The $1.2 billion venue was designed by HNTB and built by Turner/Devcon for the Santa Clara Stadium Authority. The stadium measures 1.85 million square feet and seats around 68,500 spectators. You can see a panoramic sweep of the venue here. The stadium was designed to be a multi-purpose facility with the flexibility to host a wide range of events, including domestic and international soccer, college football, motocross, concerts and various civic events. It will also be expandable for major events such as the Super Bowl. There’s even a vegan hot dog stand.